Minnesota egg producer fined $95,000 for manure spills

Luoma Egg Ranch, an egg producer near Finlayson, Minn., was fined $95,000 by state pollution regulators for violations stemming from chicken manure spills.

Luoma failed to report and attempted to cover up the liquid manure discharges from its egg-laying operation, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said Tuesday. The company also improperly disposed of dead chickens, another violation.

The $95,000 fine is one of the largest levied by the pollution agency in the past two years. Luoma also must take corrective actions to address the violations.

Luoma, which is located about 60 miles southwest of Duluth, declined to make someone available for comment.

Luoma failed to leave a required 1-foot clearance at the top of its manure storage areas. That led to discharges of excrement, wastewater and waste eggs into ditches and streams, and eventually into Medicine Creek. The discharges occurred in the summer and fall last year.